Saudi Arabia donates $10 million to UNRWA

February 20, 2012

Saudi Arabia donated $10 million toward the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine’s (UNRWA) educational and health services in Gaza and the West Bank today. The agreement was signed in Riyadh between Yousef Al-Bassam, vice-chairman and managing director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and Filippo Grandi, commissioner-general of UNRWA.

Welcoming the agreement, Grandi said: “Once again, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has stepped forward, proving itself to be an exemplary supporter of UNRWA and the Palestine refugees whom we serve. This latest contribution will allow UNRWA to deliver much-needed equipment, supplies and other essentials to thousands of refugees who rely on us for basic services in education and health. These services are not optional, but a necessity for the Palestine refugees, and we urge other donors to follow Saudi Arabia’s lead in coming forward to help us meet these needs.”